Lighting systems have employed switching mechanisms that respond to signals from sensors. For example, a switching system for a light may include a light sensor or a motion sensor. Such systems can then automatically switch on the light when darkness or motion is detected and switch off the light when ambient lighting or inactivity persists for a period of time. Sensors can also be used in high capability lighting systems such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,021,021, entitled “Authoring, Recording and Replication of Lighting,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. For example, a high capability lighting system that uses multiple color channels to produce programmable emission spectra may employ a sensor that measures the light emitted from the color channels, and such measurements may be used for calibration of the color channels.